Chief Justice Launches Electoral Offences Court
The Chief Justice of Sierra Leone, Umu Hawa Tejan Jalloh last Thursday, July 12th, launched the Electoral Offences Court.
Acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Chairman of the National Electoral Commission, UNDP Country Director, representative from PPRC, Human Rights Commission, National Elections Watch, and all other distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen thronged the occasion.
Below is the Chief Justice’s speech during the occasion:
My Lord, Acting Director of Public Prosecution, Chairman of the National Electoral Commission, UNDP Country Director, representative from PPRC, Human Rights Commission, National Elections Watch, and all other distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen it is my singular honour and privilege to welcome you this short but most important ceremony in Sierra Leone’s calendar for 2012. You will agree with me, that notwithstanding our recent turbulent past, Sierra Leone continues to enjoy a fair amount of peace and stability. This has been possible because of the hard work and resolve of the government and all of us present here.
Peace is a very valuable commodity but as it is often said “there is no peace without Justice”. Therefore, as we prepare towards elections on the 17th November 2012, it is important that modalities are put in place to ensure that law and order are maintained, and that violations of our electoral laws and perpetrators of electoral fraud and election violence of any form are brought to book and that justice in these matters is dispensed fairly and swiftly.
The new public Elections Act, 2012, Act No.4 of 2012 is very clear. I am happy that the Electoral Laws have been consolidated in one single document. This certainly makes our work and all involved in the electoral process much easier.
In 2007, as a result of the hard work of all stakeholders, and the successful operations of the Electoral offenses Courts, Sierra Leone became the envy of most democratic governments and institutions throughout the world. We are determined to ensure that we build on those successes during the 2012 elections and even better.
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Joseph Bangura
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This is a welcome news. We only hope that this is not a window dressing.We have been seeing how other important matters have been handled by this very chief justice. There are still other matters before her, which she has not decided, and those matters are equally important, and they have been sitting in that court for couple of years now.
21st July 2012